


Crowned By Night

by CourierNinetyTwo



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/F, Post-Game(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:21:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24900742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourierNinetyTwo/pseuds/CourierNinetyTwo
Summary: Makoto is sure she can keep her crush on Haru under wraps. How hard could it be?
Relationships: Niijima Makoto/Okumura Haru
Comments: 10
Kudos: 131





	Crowned By Night

Of all things to make her want to be a Phantom Thief again, Makoto didn't expect studying law would be one of them.

A semester into college, it was irrevocably clear why Shido had been able to ascend to power, even without Mementos giving him a boost. The number of loopholes in current legislation let almost any politician dodge culpability except in the most egregious circumstances, and even then, punishment often amounted to public humiliation over jail time. Chances for immunity were everywhere, since those expelled from the government often had the wealth to manipulate the party of their choice regardless.

She rubbed at her temples, trying to relieve the tension that had settled there like an iron band around her skull. Then a fresh cup of coffee was set on the table in front of her, and Makoto's shoulders sagged with sudden relief.

"You looked like you needed this," Haru said fondly, putting a small pitcher of cream next to the cup. "It's a fresh batch."

"Thank you," Makoto murmured, pouring all the cream right into the coffee. It would shield her stomach against the constant onslaught of caffeine--at least a little. "I've been taking up your table all night, haven't I?"

Haru's cafe Haute Noir had opened less than a month ago to great success, although the Okumura heir credited that more to her family's influence than anything else. Makoto believed otherwise: it was a clean, gorgeous space, with enough privacy at every table to make customers feel like they had the whole place to themselves. The aesthetic was definitively Haru, the hard contrast of white tables and black lace softened by touches of lavender everywhere--both the plant and the color. 

"You're doing me a favor, Makoto." Haru smiled, beautiful as always. "I can try all my different blends without causing chaos for the customers."

There was no arguing that. Makoto would drink anything Haru put in front of her, especially if it promised to prop her up for another hour. "I'm the worst critic you could ask for. Everything tastes good in my book."

"Spoken like a true university student." Haru's tone was warm and teasing, enough to make heat rise up the back of Makoto's neck. "Do you need anything to eat?"

"No. Please, you've done enough already." The other woman was always so attentive when she studied here, and Makoto didn't want to treat Haru like a waitress. "Just tell me when you want to close up and I'll head out."

Haru disappeared with another smile, and Makoto took a long sip of the coffee. It really was delicious, with notes of dark chocolate melting on her tongue, providing a perfect compliment to the fresh cream. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste and momentary relief from memorizing yet another bylaw.

Despite the coffee, she really had to stop coming here. It wasn't fair to keep intruding on Haru's time and space, especially when she had a crush of heart-shattering intensity on the woman in question. They had always gotten along well in the Phantom Thief days, but Makoto never dared to push for more. Even without Haru's fiance in the picture--although he was long gone now--she was still a public figure under intense scrutiny.

It didn't help that Sae fit the same description, upending the prosecutor's office in one fell swoop before starting her own defense firm. Makoto was fiercely proud of her sister's new ambitions, but the last thing she wanted to do was cause a scandal. She'd barely escaped arrest herself, after all, and the faculty at Shujin had clearly been relieved to see her year's class graduate and move to a different campus. 

A soft clink made Makoto's eyes snap open. Haru had just set a lavender scone on the table in front of her, fresh from the oven. "If you don't eat, I'm going to cut you off from the coffee."

"I..." That was a dire threat indeed. Haru hadn't lost her edge. "Fair enough. Thank you."

The first bite of the scone nearly burned Makoto's tongue, but she didn't care. It was soft and sweet, a soothing aroma spilling from the dough like perfume. Haru had an expectant look on her face, so Makoto quickly swallowed and cleared her throat.

"It's incredible." An understatement, but the best she could do caught off-guard. "Could I take you out to dinner sometime?"

Cold horror cut through the pleasant haze of sugar and caffeine as Makoto realized what she had just asked, entirely unprompted. 

"To pay you back, I mean," she added in haste. "Both of us are always working, and we could go... elsewhere. Not that I don't love the cafe."

Why was she trying to reform Japan's entire system of law again? She couldn't even get out a logical argument in front of the person she liked without transforming into a fumbling child. 

Haru's smile cast all that doubt aside as Makoto's heartbeat doubled. "I'd love to. Did you have somewhere in mind?"

Makoto racked her mind for all of the expensive restaurants Sae had ever mentioned, then realized if Haru hadn't been to those, she'd probably been to better. Maybe swinging to the other end of the spectrum was a solution. "There's an Okinawan street food place near the university. Lots of different stalls. If that sounds good."

"That sounds lovely." Haru brushed a few strands of light, fluffy hair away from her face, drawing Makoto's eye to those slender fingers. "But I'm imposing a curfew on tonight. You look exhausted, Makoto."

She blushed, both at the distraction and Haru's gentle admonition. "My exam's in a week."

"And you know as well as I do nothing in that book will stick if you don't get some sleep." Haru flipped Makoto's textbook shut, keeping a firm hand on the cover. "So finish the scone while I lock up."

It was hard to argue that, especially since Haru had agreed to dinner. Makoto knew it couldn't be considered a date--that required both parties being aware, after all--but spending the night away from her studies with Haru sounded heavenly regardless. 

The scone was gone in three bites, and Makoto stole another sip of the coffee before Haru could notice and chastise her.

Treasure had nothing on home-grown espresso.

\--

A storm rolled in an hour before she planned to pick Haru up to eat, and Makoto prayed the wind would be kind while breaking out her umbrella. She couldn't use it on the motorcycle, but at least they'd have shelter while walking around the food stalls.

Rain chased Makoto all the way to Haru's apartment, threatening to soak through the heavy leather jacket she'd worn for protection. The helmet kept her hair dry, but it was dripping everywhere when she pulled it off and pressed the security buzzer. She tried to keep the water away from her trousers. It might not have been a date, but she still wanted to look nice.

The front door swung open, and Makoto fought to keep her jaw from dropping. Haru was in a pale purple kimono decorated with fine orchids in a much darker shade, little threads of gold emerging from the center of each flower. Her hair was coiffed into perfect curls, makeup subtle but undeniably artful.

"Hi." Makoto bit her tongue. She had just croaked like a frog. "I... I brought my motorcycle. You might have a hard time in the rain."

Haru's eyes went wide before she laughed, reflexively covering her mouth. "That's all right. I'll have a car take us instead. You can put your bike in the garage."

A car meant a driver, and Makoto really wanted it to be just the two of them. "If you don't mind, it's not that far of a walk. I brought an umbrella."

Haru smiled. "I don't mind at all."

What Makoto hadn't considered was how close Haru would have to walk with her to stay fully covered by the umbrella, and that keeping pace when she wasn't in a kimono too meant Haru's arm would be linked through hers to balance. By the time they reached the right street, she was burning from head to toe, heedless of the rain.

The food was a brief, if incomplete, distraction. Haru wanted a spread of everything--from the onisasa to an entire plate of fried chicken--and refused to let Makoto pay for a single dish. They found a small table to stand by away from the storm, sharing steaming bites of food between cold sips of soda.

"I almost ordered beer for us," Haru admitted, her face a bit pink. "It happened at all the company parties when we went out. I never really thought about it."

"You might have gotten away with it. I saw the cook's face when he looked at your credit card." Makoto's shoe accidentally brushed Haru's, and she tried not to jerk back too quickly. "Mm. Not that I'm trying to get you in trouble."

"I miss getting in trouble." Haru said it too casually to be anything but sincere. "Especially with you."

Makoto swallowed the bite in her mouth very slowly, careful not to choke. "You mean being in the Phantom Thieves?"

"That too," she commented, tone light. "I just wonder if this is going to be the rest of my life sometimes. I love the cafe, and everything with the company is finally settling down, but... something's missing."

It was hard to argue that. For more than a year, everything about their lives had taken on a wild transformation, almost nonstop. Even with all they had lost, Makoto thought the world was generally for the better, but 'normal' life felt oddly uncomfortable.

"It got better when you started stopping by," Haru continued, moving her empty plate to the side. "Maybe because you understand me."

More than the Phantom Thieves, then. They were both the same age, and although her father was nothing like President Okumura, the loss of a parent wasn't something that could be explained--not to anyone who didn't already know.

Makoto nodded. "I like being there too. You might be the only reason I don't spontaneously combust before every test."

"That would be good ad copy for the cafe," Haru said, letting out a soft laugh. "Maybe I'll appeal to the student crowd."

Although the food was gone, Makoto was tempted to linger. The other shops were closed by this time of night, and she didn't want to suggest wandering around in the dark rain through an unfamiliar district. 

"Will you walk me home as well?" Haru asked, the question dispelling all of her plans and excuses. "I don't want to keep you too late, but-"

"It's fine," Makoto interrupted, calling up a smile. "I'd be happy to."

They cleared their trash and Makoto popped open the umbrella again, offering her arm to Haru. It was taken with a light squeeze around her bicep, and Makoto was deeply grateful for the shadows around them. If Haru had seen the look on her face, it would have revealed everything.

Even with Haru's careful steps, they arrived back to the Okumura house in no time at all. Restlessness unsettled Makoto's heart, its beat thready and uneven as her courage wrestled with a lifelong sense of propriety, with fear playing referee. 

When Haru let go of her arm to open the front door, Makoto forced the words out. "Would you like to go on a date with me sometime, Haru?"

Haru went perfectly still, fingers wrapped around her keys, and an icy bolt of regret pierced all the way down to Makoto's stomach. She shouldn't have said anything, she shouldn't have ruined--

"I thought we were on a date already," Haru admitted softly, and when she turned to meet Makoto's eyes, her face was red with a blush. "Does that answer your question?"

Makoto's jaw briefly worked against empty air. "Oh. Yes."

What use was so many years of schooling when she was still apparently so  _ stupid? _

"I didn't mean to mislead you," Haru murmured, and closed the single step of distance between them. "Can you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive," Makoto whispered.

Their lips met in a kiss, soft and searching. Makoto had wrestled with the mafia and been kicked halfway across a cruise ship by Shadows with a grudge, but nothing was so staggering as this, Haru's mouth parting under hers and wanting more.

When they broke apart, Makoto could barely hear the rain over her heartbeat, pounding relentlessly as a temple drum. "Haru."

"Will you stay?" Haru asked, her fingers slipping through Makoto's and squeezing tight. "I'll make you coffee in the morning."

"I'll stay," Makoto whispered, and leaned in for another kiss.

They lingered in the rain a while, enshrouded by the dark.


End file.
